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Homecoming details announced

The details of the team’s homecoming have now been confirmed. The train carrying the team left Heuston Station at 2pm and the team is expected to arrive at MacHale Park at 4.45pm. Full details on the homecoming are here.

As I mentioned earlier on, I won’t make it there for the homecoming myself but I’m sure many of you will. The lads have always been welcomed back by huge numbers of supporters and I’ve no doubt but that it’ll be the same again this year. It’s the least they deserve.

38 thoughts on “Homecoming details announced”

Unfortunately won’t make it either as coaching my u10s this evening in my midlands base ..watched Stephen and Cillians speeches …Some men ..I’m certain as many as possible will turn out to welcome back our warriors

Sincerely hope supporters make as much of an effort to make it to Mc Hale Pk as they did to get to Croker. Feel its going to be a really tough day for players as the realisation of what might have been really hits home. We pulled apart the game here at work and are no better for it.. Part of the process I guess..

ITS VERY TOUGH GOING FOR THOSE LADS. I CAN REMEMBER THE BEATING WE TOOK AT THE HANDS OF KERRY IN 1975/78/79 BY KERRY AFTER WE BEAT THEM IN 76/77,BUT WE KEPT COMING BACK AND ADDED SILVERWARE AGAIN IN 83. SURE ITS ONLY A GAME OF BALL AT THE END OF THE DAY

‘It’s only a game of ball’, tell that to the Mayo fans who broke down after the match and I’m talking adults here. You have your three in a row and good luck to you but please don’t trevalise the hurt and pain that we are going through in Mayo.

Like so many of you my heart is broken and I will stand in mourning and celebration of a special Summer with our lads this evening.

Boy did they make ua proud. Within 5 minutes we went from being on the verge of the dream to having our hopes shattered. The sight of weeping older people, creast fallen children, and the numbness and silence amongst our fellow supporters is painful beyond what sport should be.

But we will rise again. To what heights who knows. But we love our football, love our team and will keep shouting, dreaming and hoping.

Thank you Stephen, Cillian and your team. Thank you to the County Board fot facilitating their needs. To all the backroom people – thank you. And Willie Joe thank you for putting words to what continues to be a special journey, the days of our lives

i know they will be welcomed home by huge crowd and after a campaign like that they well deserve it. To be involved in a classic is no comfort to the defeated but a great turn out (from the best supporters in Ireland) well give a little lift to them today and will be remembered by them when the days lengthen in 2018.

The sixteenth man drove them on yesterday, the noise of the Mayo support was unreal so fair play to all those that made that effort. Today,,, well just get them home show them what they mean to all of you and mind them.

Thank you Gamechanger. Im sure they will be well taken care of these coming months and that in 2018 they will be back with a new sense of purpose and even more fight and quality added to their play. I watched your own minor team in action yesterday, Clifford is something else and is a very nice guy too it would seem. He really is top quality.

I was so frustrated thinking back about the result today, especially after going onto Facebook and looking at some of the absolute tripe some Dublin “fans” were posting (*please note all the Dub visitors on this site – you have great fans and this isn’t directed at all of you, but my god the ones that post shite on Facebook, especially after AI finals, need their broadband switched off). Anyways, to get rid of some of the negativity I was feeling I tried to think back on all the positives this season and their are actually quite a few. The first being that I think the fans now have total faith in Rochford, things were a bit shaky in my opinion since Horan went, and then the stuff in the replay last year, but when you see his speech from last night you know he wants to win more than anything and will give 110% to this team.
The next thing is, we beat Kerry in the championship. I’m only 25 years old, I don’t remember the last time it happened, so for supporters my age and younger it felt like a massive monkey off the back.
Thirdly and lastly, I haven’t watched back the game and I won’t for a couple months yet, but the range of skill the lads showed in that game yesterday if my memory serves me right was absolutely unreal. The turnovers, tackling, spatial awareness, footpassing and handpassing from left and right was on a level I’ve never seen before from a Mayo team, only Dublin have ever matched it.

We were the width of a fucking post out, so I’m sorry but if anyone thinks this team is dead and buried and not coming back etc, then just go away. We matched them man for man and outplayed them in my opinion for the whole game. Not one Mayo player was roasted or bettered by his counterpart, and we lost to a great team by a free in the 76th minute. It’s so so close, but we are closer now more than ever.
I think a longer break for the older lads who’ve been around since 2011 (COC especially) will do a world of good. I’d almost guarantee that after a few days or weeks off that Steven and his team will be making a list of lads from the recent u21 teams (mostly 2016’s crop) that they’ll be meeting with and settings targets for.

Absolutely Heartbroken like everyone else but also immensely proud of stephen and each and every member of the team. I will place no blame at anyone’s door.

Resilience isn’t something you lose, you have it or you don’t and boy do these lads have it. That is why I know they’ll be back, as will we, the fans.

Willie joe from the bottom of my heart thank you so much for this amazing blog and your endless efforts.

I have one request to you, club 51 etc though. Have a look at the Hill 16 Facebook page (people who apparently reached out prior to the game to leave the online hostilities to one side). Well what I see now is hardly sporting, specifically the targeting of lee. We should have no future communication/ comradery with anybody who targets any of our heroes like that. Fuck them, they are terrible winners – instead of celebrating their teams amazing achievement, they are instead trying to rub extra salt in our open and very fresh wounds. That is not the spirit of the GAA, it is classless and is not what we in Mayo are about. Assholes

First time comment here; went onto site this afternoon because I could not think of where else to go. I have exercised radio silence since this morning and the house is strangely silent, much like the all too familiar walk out of Croker yesterday. However before the game yesterday I was introduced to a relative of the manager of the 1951 team who was born in Glasgow but is a lifelong Hibs supporter and said that if Hibs could win the cup for the first time in 114 years in 1916; then surely this must be Mayo’s year. And then this afternoon I got a text from my brother this afternoon saying that he had just arrived back to his home in Kerry and that his “heart was broken”. Then I couldn’t but watch the above clip and dream that one day soon we will have a day like this, and while at the moment I still feel ~sorrow,sorrow, sorrow, SORROW!, i just want to say to the team: Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Please have a look but be warned you will probably blubber like an infant, I did.

I’ve largely tried to avoid any kind of post-mortem today as it’s still too raw for me.

But where that conversation has been unavoidable (friends, family and colleagues), I’ve been buoyed by the level of optimism, spirit and faith in the lads. No questioning of effort, management or the simple belief in the county. That’s fairly rare after a defeat like that.

All we can say to them is – if you go again, we’ll be right behind you.

I join most of the previous commenters in the “heartbroken and raw” category. Today is a day that I’ll be glad when it’s over.
Yesterday was a day I will never forget, the atmosphere electric and to rate mayo fans on the decibel scale. Wow! Again… Amazing and I hope that binds those lads together in the coming months.
Willy Joe, thank you for your continuous effort! Long may it and this super team continue.For now I will miss my weekly engagement with the mayo news football podcast.
Our date with destiny will come.

I was very down last night, but I must say attending the post banquet in the city west restored faith. The players were gutted obviously, but still you could see the belief and defiance seeping into the atmosphere as the night goes on. Maybe it was the drink! I don’t think so though. I have no doubt we’ll be back at the same level in 2018. None whatsoever. It’s hard to think about now, but we must leave no stone unturned. Weaknesses were exposed yesterday that must be addressed over winter and spring.
Keeping Buckley and McEntee on board would be essential to start with.
Getting through silly season (from now until January) without any bullshit media stories about Mayo would also be nice for a change.

These are the times that make Mayo fans the best in the Country, the best in the World.

The players know we are still here and behind them 110%.

Other counties need to be on a roll, need to be winning to to get the thousands going to support them.

Mayo fans are not fair weather supporters. All we ever want is for our managment and players to do their best and try their hardest. By Jesus they did that this year.

We’ll rise again and when in the decades to come people look to see who contested for Sam Maguire they’ll see Mayo were there so many times. They’ll see that they never lay down and that they never gave up.

We’ll do again next year what we’ve always done. We’ll try our hardest both on and off the field.

We can only be happy when we can truly say that there was nothing else we could have done.

Disappointing yesterday but very very proud of the Mayo team. They gave it everything. The Dubs were dominant in the final quarter and our boys were getting tired. Comhgairdeas to the Dubs a great achievement indèed. Beidh foireann Mhuigheo aris arist in 2018 le cunadh De.
The dream continues!
Mhuigheo Abu

Today is tough and very tough but it wlll get easier. I’m half thinking of going to Croke Park on Sunday it might lift the spirits supporting the Mayo ladies. I think we have great grounds for optimism for 2018 rest a few of the older lads for the FBD and early rounds of the league and give the new guys coming through some experience the Likes of Reape James Carr Nally O Donoghue maybe Adam Gallagher liam Irwin Matthew Ruane Akram and one or two others. If Boland beefs up a bit he could have an impact too and Conor Loftus will be a top player so it’s not all doom and gloom the future is still bright

This will be the last post I put up regarding yesterdays final as I really dont want to rake over the coals and dwell on what ifs all winter. I wont be watching the game over (I never watch them over anyway win or lose), I wont be listening to commentary or reading newspaper articles, I walked away from Croke Park heart broken but with my head held high beacuse a group of Mayo men gave absolutely everything, played to their maximum, thats all anyone can ask, I was proud of everyone of them and proud to be from Mayo.

It hurt just as much as the rest but this morning I can accept it more as there was no controversial decisions made (Donie gave the ref no choice and deserved red), no left field team changes, just a group of men playing to their max, executing a well drawn up plan from management.

Like WJ on previous threads I think the ref had a decent game, refs cant get every decision right, the game is just too fast but Mayo got their fair share going their way imo. He gave plenty of yellows to Dub (the Cooper one early on was important as this opened the door for Andy to bully him all day), he gave the red and called hawk eye twice on Dub pts. Ref not an issue for me.

Mayo didnt lose to a better team, I believe we were better on the day, we lost to a team with more guns than us, they brought on 4 all star forwards we brought on defenders, we were simply outgunned. We need badly to develop a bench where we are in a position to bring on serious artillery frim the bench.

This time last year I thought the team was in decline, I was wrong then. They are so close, we just need the bit of firepower from the bench to propel us over the line.

Club championships resume soon and I eill be there at as many games as possible beacuse following Mayo football is a privilege. I hope the management are there too looking for those couple of players who can make the difference.

Today was one of the toughest days for us all (in a sporting context) and I suppose the hardest part was trying to make logical sense of it all while facing my work colleagues (I live and work in Galway). Most of them to be fair were very sympathetic but dealing with the post mortem was a killer. Like last year and against Meath in 1996 I’m haunted by the many tiny things that may or may not have cost us. The misses, the sending offs, the penalty that wasn’t given, the failure to send off O’Gara first half, the soft free at the end – why oh why does that bit of luck go against us? Maybe it’s psychological but I’m not entirely sold on that one yet. All I can do is thank the lads so much for an amazing year. It’s because of them that I wear my Mayo colours with pride today. I sincerely hope that Stephen, his management team and the players give it at least one more twist for next year. I know they will. When the dust settles we can all see that we aren’t the second best team in Ireland anymore – we are the best. Dublin have the cup but it was really a pickpocketing. Just one more push by us to get the ultimate reward. Keep strong.

A fantastic turnout for homecoming tonight..heartening but hard for the lads to get up in front of so many without Sam..Michael Ring was mighty..infectious enthusiasm..Would echo what was mentioned earlier about the importance of Mc Entee and Buckley..I know we are all very raw but impotant to keep momentum..Alot have mentioned it but honestly this has been one of the best Summers following the team..I was away for alot of last Summer so missed out but what an epic year we have had..Days I wouldnt swap ever although too many squeaky bum moments for the heart..I can clearly remember coming in the door beoken hearted after the replay last year with my sister unable to get a sentence out …in what seemed like the blink of an eye we were back out for the league..And so it continues..Down but never out..

My heartfelt thanks to the Mayo team who have worked so hard and given us so many great days this year. We are privileged to have such distinguished young men representing our beloved county with such pride and passion. There is no question we will be back next year and mounting an assault on capturing Sam. We only fail when we give up and that will not be happening anytime soon. I truly believe we will reach the promised land sooner rather than later and I look forward to the day when I can see my own father and others who have followed this team through thick and thin witness us lifting that elusive piece of silverware.

I was angry this morning at what I had witnessed in injury time, the smirk on a certain player’s face when he managed to draw a questionable free after similar antics last year, I will never forget it. When the time comes we will have our revenge but we must channel all this hurt in a constructive fashion. As the gloom lifts and the fog clears we must focus on what’s needed for next year. I sincerely hope the management team stay on as they have maintained us as a force in the game and have made us very difficult to beat and have demonstrated the tactical nous to keep mixing it with the big guns. We must take our licks but no use wallowing for too long, winter won’t be long going and before we know it it will be spring again. Hon Mayo

Very- very – sad – not alone for the boys and all the backroom staff and of course Stephen R.. but also for my Mayo mad husband and myself that have followed Mayo football since 1964. He turned to me and said “will we ever see Sam coming to Mayo in our lifetime” erfuli just had to burst out crying. I replied lets make sure we do. I know this team are 1st class but next year wont be long coming around and we will be having a wondful Summer again please God.

Just watched first half …
One outrageous decision to award free to Dublin at end of the half.
Two terrible misses alsout, one from Keegan & one from Durkan.
Half time score should have been 12 points to 1-4.

Watched day 2nd half.
Cillian was excellent. Andy was struggling when he was called ashore.
Diarmuid played well but he was asked to track McCarthy & he scored 2 pts off him with lack off concentration.
David Clark final kickout was shocking. He had a simple 10 yard pass to two mayo players but refused to give it. He kicked it over the line.

And finally …. how keegan didn’t get a penalty is beyond me.
Terrible from referee.

I would like to offer some perspective from someone who has followed Mayo from the late sixties and who now supports from a distance of over 3,000 miles. I admit my analysis may be flawed as I have to rely mostly on audio commentaries and the invaluable contributions of this amazing blog. I usually get live feeds for the quarter finals and beyond so I have been spoiled with coverage this year. I did miss the drawn semifinal as I was on a plane and I missed the first five minutes of the final through technical issues. That was not a bad thing as it transpired,

I have to say that sometimes we can focus too much on the failure to win one when medals do not always define a player’s worth especially in team sports, To me it is defined by how a player handles adversity and by that measure this is an amazing group of players who make me proud to call myself a Mayo man,

When you have lived through the barren seventies when Jones Road may as well have been on another planet and some our campaigns lasted a full 60 minutes, the journey of the last seen years is like dreamland. With the exception of Dublin and Kerry, how many of the other counties that contest this championship would love to be in headquarters this often. Assuming they can withstand the heartbreak!

I don’t want to dwell on the negatives from yesterday as it diminishes the real accomplishments of these lads but I will say that despite an overall fair performance in a thankless role, the ref intervened at two key times to influence the game. The fact that the tackle on Keegan started outside the square gave the ref an easy out when we know he would never have awarded a free for that level of incidental contact prior to the real foul in the box.

I will definitely not criticize Donie who was probably still haunted by his early exit less than 12 months ago from a cheap blindside shot that went unpunished. His anger and frustration are understandable and his misery was further compounded as he watched a man advantage and a kickable free turn into parity and a throw-in that turned possession back to Dublin. And parity at 14 men was a clear advantage to the team with fresh legs to exploit the open spaces. I hope he will use the disappointment as motivation in the future. He is a multi-talented player who only fault on the day was to have his colleagues back.

I would refrain from any criticism of the management. Stephen has a very thin (big hearted) squad. How easy it must be to manage team where at half time you can turn to proven winners. It is not a case of could but would make an impact. And if that failed there is always Scully and Brogan. What would Stephen do with such resources at his disposal? If anything Jim Galvin almost overplayed his hand when the final black card was issued in a tight game and there was no-one to turn to on the vaunted bench.

The closing moments had an eerie familiarity to last year as the mayo defenders found themselves yet again exhausted trying to stem a tide of fresh subs with boat-loads of medals between them. As we wonder who can rein in this great Dublin team and how the playing field can be leveled perhaps we should go back to 60 minute games where the deep bench that Dublin posses will not hold such an advantage late in the 10th championship game of a team of tiring legends.

I congratulate the three-in-a-row Dublin team on their historic achievement but I salute the real heroes on the day.
Apologies for the long past. it is the only regret I feel today.

Citywest was a real eye opener for me last night. I have never attended a do like that before so i wasn’t sure what to expect. It really is a great thing to see how these lads mixed and interacted with the fans into the early hours. A fair few of them seemed to be drinking nothing stronger that water! I really dont know how they do it, any of it, if I am honest. And again this evening in McHale Park they came to speak to the fans when I am sure they would’ve preferred to go straight to Breaffy House. Anyway, my support and admiration for the squad and backroom staff remains solid and strong. They are a credit to themselves and their families.

Perspective here from a statistics perspective just for some context.
Chance conversion rate, highest in any all ireland final in the last 20 years – 60%. Mayos on Sunday – 59%
Dublins 67%
There you have it ladies and gentlemen, forget those who tell you we missed chances, we did, but every team does. We were 1% off the highest conversion rate in any all ireland. But when we applied the pressure Dublin found another level again.
Unfortunately we have come to the table at a time when the best team ever to play football is also at the table. Its cold comfort but this team at any other time would have won 2 or 3 all irelands. We may yet but its damned bad luck they are here also.

And forget about taking incidents in isolation, a match is an organic thing. You cant draw a straight line conclusion from one event that may or may not have happened to a definitive outcome.
Yes, it would have been better if Shoes had kept his composure, it would have improved our chances. But whos to say we would have used the extra man properly. There are plenty of examples of the team with the extra man losing.
Imagine the shite that would be thrown at us now if we had managed to lose with an extra man. That probably sounds like very strange logic but I’m sure some of you get what I am on about. We missed chances, they missed chances. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. We’ve improved everything in 12 months, we now need to get another 3 or 4 players up to the same, or as close as, standard to our best 16 so that we too can bring guys on that make as big a difference as Dublins bench. Sounds hard but thats the difference, and thats whats required.

Travelled from Wicklow down to castlebar yesterday afternoon….great place to be …hair on back of the neck stuff so proud of these warriors I hope and pray all return and give it another lash but new blood needed to start games in league